Gun-carriage.



J. FRATESCHI.

GUN CARRIAGE. APPLICATION FILED MAY I3, 1916- 1 21, l 13G. Patented Jan 2, 1917.

F1 E l. 4 s T7- 13 .6 T 25 (Z90. NF

9 A, Joseph Frat eschi lNl NORR'SIPEYEIS CO. FHDYOILI 7ND WASNINGI'ON. D C

JOSEPH FRATESCHI, 0F OGDENSBURG, NEW YORK.

GUN- CARRIAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

Application filed May 13, 1916. Serial No. 97,242.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JosnPH FRA'rnsoHI,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Ogdensburg, in the county of St. Lawrence and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gun- Carriages, of which the following is a speci fication.

This invention relates to improvements in gun supports and gun sighting means, and one of its objects is the provision of a device with a gun holding frame adjustable horizontally and vertically on a tripod support and means for adjusting the gun in the gun holding frame, so that any desired sighting position or inclination may be readily obtained.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a gun support and sighting device with a secondary gun frame shiftable within a main frame and upon a forward pivotal support and including a front gun sight shiftable with the secondary gun frame and having a fixed radial relation to the pivotal support therefor.

A still further object ofthe invention is to improve the means for shifting the main gun frame on its tripod support, and for shifting the secondary gun frame on the main gun frame, so that the operator of a machine gun may quickly adjust the gun for firing, with the same certainty which a rigeman can adjust the ordinary shoulder r1 e.

With the above and other objects in view the invention comprises certain new and useful constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specification and clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved gun support and sighting device. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a trans verse sectional view taken on line 33, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 14 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the device adapted for aeroplane and aerial firing.

Referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating the practical embodiment of the invention 5 designates the legs of the tripod, the upper ends of which are suitably connected to the tubular head 6. A U-shaped yoke 7 is secured to the head 6 by means of a rod 8, which extends downwardly through said tubular head, the upper end of said rod being provided with a head 8 which seats on the tubular head 6, and the lower end of the rod 8 being equipped with a tightening nut 9, which works against a coil spring 10, disposed around the lower end of said rod and bearing at its upper end against the lower end of the tubular head 6.

On the upper ends of the yoke 7 the main gun holding frame 11 is supported by the screw threaded rods or bolts 12, which ex tend through the ends of the yoke 7 and are provided with clamping nuts 12, which when tightened against the sides of said yoke 7 retains the main frame 11 in a fixed position. Spacing members 14, in the form of sleeves, are arranged on the rods or bolts 12 between the braces 13 and the yoke, thus establishing the necessary clearance between the main frame and the supporting yoke.

The main gun holding frame 11 consists of the centrally disposed braces 13, the lower longitudinal bars or members 15, and the upper longitudinal bars or members 16. The bars or members 15 and 16 are of angular or L-shaped formation and are connected positively to the upper and lower ends of the centrally disposed braces 13 and to the forward vertical tie members 17 and the rearward vertical tie members 18.

The upper ends of the yoke 7 are formed with slots 7 to permit of the uplifting of the main gun frame when the nuts 12 are loosened on the bolts 12. To permit of easy manipulation the nuts 12 are formed with wheel heads 12*.

The yoke 7 is provided with supplemental supports 19, extending in slightly inclined positions therefrom, and formed with terminal slots 19 to receive the supporting bolts 12. By lifting the entire frame 11 from the slotted ends of the yoke 7 and positioning it on the slotted ends of the supplemental supports or bracket arms 19 the device may be readily changed from the position shown in Fig. 1 wherein it is adapted for field operations, to the position shown in Fig. 5, wherein it is adapted for aerial operations.

Within the main gun holding frame 11 the secondary gun holding frame 20 is arranged. This secondary gun holding frame consists of companion horizontal frame bars 21 and 22, which are of angular formation,

and which are rigidly connected to each other by the bed 23, whichextends from a point 23, spaced forwardly of the rear ends of the bars 21 and 22 to leave a gap between the opposing bars 21 and 22, to the forward ends of the bars 21 and 22. The forward end of the secondary gun holding frame 20 is connected to the main gun holding frame by means of the hanger arms or members 24, the upper ends of which are pivoted to the upstanding arms or posts 25' by means of the pivots 26. Spacing members 27 are arranged on the pivots 26 to insure free movement of the pendant supporting arms or meml 'The rear end of the secondary gun holding'frame 20 is adjustably secured on the main gun holding frame 11 by means of the screws 28, on which the nuts 29 are threaded, the said nuts being formed with wheel or circular heads 29 whereby they may be turned and clamped against the sides of the vertical rear tie members 18', which are formed with arcuate slots 28 designed to permit of the necessary swinging motion of the secondary gun holding frame on the pivots 26. r

The relation of the secondary gun holding-frame to the main frame, or the angle of its inclination is determined by means of a rotatable screw rod 30 which projects through and has threaded connection with the cross rod or bar 31, the ends of which are pivoted to the main frame 11, as shown in Fig. a. The upper end of the screw rod 30 is connected by a swivel'and hinge con nection 32 with the cross bar 33, which is secured to the underside ofthe frame bars 21 and 22, as shown in Fig. 4.

A suitable telescopic sight Set is mounted on the main frame 11 in line with the gun sight, indicated in dotted lines at 36, in Figs. 1 and 3. The gun to be supportedis clamped on the bed 23 of the secondary gun holding frame 20' by means of any suitable straps or clamps, so that the front gun sight 36 will lie directly under the'horizontal line between the opposing pivots 26, which serve as supports for the usual horizontal hair line.

-With the tripod suitably positioned and the main frame properly adjusted the gun may be readily sighted by loosening the clamping nuts 29 and manipulating the adjusting screw 30', by means of the crank handle 30 secured to the lower end thereof. No matter what the position the secondary frame is shifted to the front gun sight will never be shifted from alinement with the hair line between the opposing pivots 26. The gun may be swung upon the tripod by means-of the'tension coupling between the yoke and the tripod.

Having described my invention I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1'; A gun supporting and sighting device consisting of a main frame, a secondary frame, companion posts on the forward end of the main frame, pendant supporting members pivoted attheir upper ends to the,

posts and secured at their lower ends to the forward end of the secondary frame to support gun located on the secondary frame with its front sight below and in alinement with the horizontal line between the pivots connecting the supporting members to the posts, and means for adjusting the rear end ofith e secondary frame within the main frame.

2. A gun supporting-and sighting device consisting of a tripod, a yoke rotatably mounted on the tripod and provided-'with slots in its upper ends and with brackets secured to the arms of the yoke and having terminal slots, and a gun holding frame adapted to be positioned on the slotted ends of' the yoke arms or the slotted brackets.

3. A gun supporting andsighting'device consisting of a support, a yoke mounted thereon and having'opposmg supporting arms, a main gun holding frame, screw rods connected with the mam gun holding frame and having bearings on the arms of the yoke, means'fo'r clamping the gun holding frame mentioned to the yoke arms, a secondary frame having a swinging pivotal connection by its forward end'with the forward endof the main frame, screws carried by the rear end of the secondary frame and projecting through slots formed in the mainframe, nuts threaded on said screwsand adapted to clamp said secondary frame against movement on the main frame, and a screw having swivelengagement with the secondary frame and threaded'engagement with the main frame for varying the relation of the secondary frame to the main frame.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in vthe presence oftwo witnesses.-

JNo. C. TULLooH, HELEN E; ARMSTRONG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner ofPatents, Washington, D. G. 

